Knife



Ot. 16, t1945. -W OWRY I 2,387,032

KNIFE Filed Feb. 14. 1944 www /76 5 #FOR/Vir throughout the several views.

- in the hole I4.

Patent st. 1.6, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNIFE Robert W. Lowry, Minneapolis, Minn. Application February 14, 1944, Serial No. 522,233 `s claims. (o1. so-i'rs) This invention relates generally to cutlery and particularly to knives used for culinary purposes.

The main object of this'invention is to construct-a knife which will protect the thumb of the user when cutting vegetables between the knife and the thumb.

The second object is to construct a knife of the class described which will facilitate the preparation of vegetables, rendering unnecessary the lusual care required in the dicing of vegetables.

The third object is to construct a knife of the class described which will accomplish the purposes set forth without detracting from the use of the knife for ordinary paring purposes.

These and other objects are accomplished in the manner set forth in the followingV specification, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device showing same being used to dice vegetables.

Fig. 2 is a pian of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the knife in position for paring.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line B-S in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section through a modified form of thumb guard.

Fig. 'I is a transverse section through a second -modiiication of the thumb guard.

Similar numerals refer to similar Referring in detail to the drawing, there is shown a blade III whose broadened portion II `provided with the two 'rivet holes I2 for the rivets I3, and an intermediate hole I4 for the rock shaft I5, whose reduced portion I9 journals the surface 25 may be used as a stop. The rock shaft I8 has formed on one end a attened section 26.

Wooden handle members 21 and 28 are provided, the former having an enlarged recess 29 around the hole I I adapted to receive the flange 29 which is formed on one end of the rock shaft I5, while the handle member 28 is hollowed out Secured on the reduced portiony to provide clearance `for the cam I1 and the spring I9.

Mounted on the flattened section 2B is an arm 3| and mounted on the portion I8 is an arm 92. The arms 3i and v32 are joined by the thumb piece 93. In the form of the device shown in Fig. 6 thethumb piece 39A is partially slotted to permit the knife to sever the vegetable without touching the metal or the thumb.

In the form shown in Fig. 'l the thumb piece 33B is curved for the same purpose, namely to permit the vegetable to be severed without having the knife touch the `metal or the linger.

'I'he operation of the device is as follows: Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Figi 1,-the user merely presses the thumb 34 l against the thumb guard 33 causing the vegetables 35 to'be severed by the cutting edge 36 of the blade I0, releasing the thumb pressure and makes way for another portion of .vegetable to be diced. It will be noted that while this is taking place, the spring I9 is either riding on the fiat surface I8 or on the rounded edge 31 of the cam I 1.

When the knife is to be used for paring, the

thumb piece 33 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 3, toward which position it is urged by the spring I9 which is now contacting the face 2U of the cam I'I.

While I have thus illustrated and described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not f intend to be limited to the precise form shown knife is in a dicing position, or it herein, but I do intend to cover all such modifications and'forms of the device as fall fairly within the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A knife having a combination cutting blade, handle for holding said blade, a yieldable thumb piece mounted in the path of the cutting blade adjacent to said handle, a springfor urging the thumb piece away from the cutting edge and means for urging saidv thumb piece against the remote end of the handle when moved away from said blade a distance which is greater than the amount it would be moved by said spring when dicing, for the purpose of leaving the knife in a l paring position.

2. In a knife, a combination of a thumb piece having a pair of arms extending from one end thereof, a knife having its handle pivotally mounted between said extending arms. a spr actuated cam for urging the thumb piece away from said blade and a cam forming a part of the pivotal connections between said knife and thumb Ipiece whereby the movement of said thumb piece away from said blade to a distance greater than is produced by the spring and cam will cause vsaid thumb piece to be urged toward the opposite end of the handle.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a thumb piece having a pair of parallel arms forming a fork thereon with a knife having its handle pivotally mounted between the ends of said fork, a spring for urging said thumbA` piece into a spaced relationship with said irnii'e said handle, a thumb piece having a pair of arms 20 2,387,032 i a j mounted on said rockable pivot on opposite eid of said handle, a iiat sided earn on said rockabie pivot and a spring engaging said cam adapted to hold said thumb piece against said stop and at a point near the cutting edge of said blade.

5. In a device of the class described. the combination of a thumb piece having a pair oi 1ongitudinal arms formed thereon in parallelism with each other, a knife having a pin extending transversely through the handle thereof forming a pivot for said arms, a cam on said pin having fiat sides thereon, a spring in said handle engaging the nat sides oi? said cam whereby said thumb piece may be'urged against the end of said handle to i'orm an extension therefor, or in the opposite direction to position spaced from the cutting edge of said knife.

ROBERT w. LowaY. 

